Dear FAS Leaders,

In this week's newsletter I bring you reminders about some critical deadlines for July.  Stay tuned later this week for a bonus newsletter with tales from my recent site visits to Price Lab School and Kennebunk High School! 

July Leadership Conference

While it still may seem far away, your team rosters for the July Leadership Conference are due no later than Wednesday May 24th  so that I may finalize our hotel arrangements. (Holding the conference pre- July 4th has meant that we need to finalize the hotel rooms much earlier than in previous years.)   A block of rooms have been reserved at the Hyatt Arlington for a special FAS rate of $135 a night. 

Remember that u nlike in previous years, attendees are responsible for both their travel and lodging fees.  You are welcome to make reservations at a different hotel if you like.  However, please be aware that the Hyatt is just two blocks from the First Amendment Center where we will again host this event.  There is a space on the team roster form to indicate whether or not you wish to have rooms at the Hyatt.  I will assume that you want single rooms and make those arrangements unless you indicate otherwise.

With the exception of one evening, all meals will be paid for by FAS.  Dulles and BWI airports are viable options, although Washington's Reagan National airport is the most convenient -- just ten minutes from the Hyatt Arlington.

The conference will kick off with an optional program on Thursday afternoon. This session, which we call “First Amendment Schools 101,” is particularly useful for anyone attending the conference for the first time, or for people who want to be refreshed on the essential ins and outs of the FAS program and philosophy.  Space is limited to 40 participants for this program, so get your forms in soon!

The Leadership Conference officially begins Thursday evening when everyone will gather for an opening reception and dinner on the Freedom Forum's rooftop terrace, which overlooks all of downtown Washington.

As in past years, the weekend will be designed to deepen working relationships between and across school teams, develop skills and explore resources to institutionalize meaningful school change, revisit and deepen our collective understanding of First Amendment principles, share successes and struggles, and plan for the 2006-2007 school year.  This year's goals also include time to consider what makes a FAS school different from others and how that is accomplished. I believe as we move forward in this work together that we must continually practice articulating the benefits of living these principles for the entire school community.

Please note that to be eligible to attend, a team must send at least three, and no more than five, individuals. Only the principal's attendance is mandatory. After that, I simply ask that you field as diverse a team of stakeholders as you can, and that veteran schools do their best to send a mixture of old and new faces.   Remember that for the first time Affiliate Schools are welcome to participate in this event!  Congratulations to Cora Hubert Kindergarten Center in Hudson, Massachusetts, the first to take advantage of this opportunity.

Finally, and just to clarify, remember that your team rosters should be faxed to Molly McCloskey at 703-575-4952. 

Speak to you soon!

Sam Chaltain First Amendment Schools		Molly McCloskey ASCD

Last updated: Tuesday, May 21, 2013 | 15:49:27